Caliper



Patented Mar. 27, 1934 onrrsn srArss rarest orrice CALIPER Eugene L. Cecil and John 5. Callahan, Washington, D. C.

Application December 5, 1931, Serial No.'5'?9,296

8 flaims. (Ql. 33-1d8) This invention is for a measuring instrument catcd that will-be. readily adjustable to a desired and provides a direct reading caliper of the pivoted measurement and secured in the adjusted posileg type adapted to the accurate spacing of two tion which position will be plainly indicated on objects, such for instance, as printing press cylinthe indicator. 7

ders, from each other. The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth to The particular field of use for the device is in and particularly pointed out in the claims. accurately determining the clearance between two In the accompanying drawing: machine elements, such as the plate cylinder and Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention. blanket cylinder of a printing press of the type Fig. 2 is a side elevation, taken at right angles commonly used in the press rooms of newsto Fig. 1. 65 papers. Fig. 3 is aseciion of 1 partly broken away While the device has a wide range of uses in and showing the'indicator casing in elevation.

diiferent fields it will be described in the follow- Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the indicator.

ing specification as applied to the cylinders of a Like reference characters indicate like parts printing press for accurately spacing the cylinthroughout the several figures of the drawing. 70 ders in such manner as to provide the proper Reference character 10 indicates the head of the clearance between the cylinders for imparting to caliper having a depending leg 11 which is prefera strip of news print paper passing between the ably made integral with the head 16. Cooperatprinting plate supported by the plate cylinder ing leg 12 which is spaced from leg 11, and preferand the blanket surrounding the blanket cylinder ably of duplicate dimensions, is hingedly related 75 to imprint on the strip of news print paperaclear, to the opposite side of head 10, as by pivot 13. even and uniform reproduction in ink of the Leg 11 is recessed as at 14 for pivotally receiving matter typed on the plate. 7 lug 15 of actuating lever 16 as at 17. Lever 16 is The device is so constructed as to confine its provided at its lower extremity with finger 18 for accuracy within one ten-thousandth of an inch, contacting with the inner face of hinged leg 12 c and is yet sturdy and will withstand hard usage for rocking the lever on its pivot 17 when the without injury thereto or endangering its accufree ends of legs 11 and 12 are forced toward racy asameasuring instrument of fineness. each other. Lever 16 has at its inner end an It has long been a tedious and vexatious operangular outwardly extending portion forming a ation to pressmen to properly space the plate beveled or cam-faced shoe 19 for contacting with 85 cylinder of a printing press with relation to the anti-friction roller 30 journaled in the lower exblanket carried by the blanket cylinder in order tremity-of pin 20 which extends upwardly into to obtain the proper bearing of the typed plate the indicator casing 21 and is for the purpose on the surface of the strip of news print paper of actuating the indicator mechanism to cause. passing between the typed plate and the blanket. the indicator finger 22 to move over the gradu 90.

It has been the common practice of newspaper ated scale 23 for registering thereon the move pressmen to make these cylinder adjustments ment of legs 11 and 12 with relation to each other. by the use of wedges for moving the plate cylinder Leaf spring 24 is secured to the inner face of toward or away from the blanket cylinder and leg 12 at a point intermediate the lever pivotl'? 40 retaining the cylinders in their adjusted relaand the head is with its free end exerting prestion, using various kinds of measuring devices to sure against the lever for forcing the shoe 19 into determine the clearance between the cylinders the'recess 25 formed in leg 11 and relieving preswhich is an awkward and time-consuming opersure of .the shoe on pin 20 of the indicator mechation and of necessity, due to such a crude method, anism, thereby permitting the indicator finger 22 45 results in maladjustment of the cylinders, all of to assume its normal position. which objections are readily overcome by the use I-Ielical springs 26 surrounding sleeves 27 are of the caliper embodying the invention. interposed between legs 11 and 12 at a point The primary object of the invention is to proadjacent their lower ends for forcing the lower vide a measuring device in the form of a sensitive free end of leg 12 outwardly and away from the 50 caliper having a visible indicator which will infree end of leg 11 for effecting the seating of stantly indicate any variance from a predetershoe 19 within recess 25 of leg 11 under the acmined distance between the cylinders of a printtion of leaf spring 24. Head 10 is recessed as at ing press. 28 for providing for pivotally mounting leg 12 A further object of the invention is to provide under the action of springs 26 surrounding sleeves 55. a measuring instrument of the character indi- 27. no

;.different finger grips 34 is provided for convenience in Sleeves 27 are secured in recesses 31 in leg 12 which recesses form a continuation of the sleeves 27, and are of such dimensions as to provide for free reciprocal movement of the heads of the screws 29 therewithin when leg 12 is rocked on its pivot 13. Screws 29 pass through the sleeves 2'7 and are in screw-threaded engagement with the internally screw-threaded bore. 32 in leg 11 and provide adjusting means for adjusting. leg 12 with relation to leg 11. From the structure just described it will be readily seen that leg 12 can be readily adjusted with relation to leg 11 in any predetermined adjustment by the rotation of screws 29. As the ultimate object of the inven-' tion is to provide a caliper which will accurately indicate the exact clearance between the type plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder of a printing press, it is essential that the leg 11 being vertical to a horizontal line drawn through the axis and perpendicular thereto of cylinders 35 and 36 in order to obtain an exact measurement between the circumferential faces of the cylinders and as the plate cylinders and blanket cylinders of printing presses are not of standardized dimensions, truing blocks 3'7 and 38 are provided for limiting the movement of legs 11 and 12 inwardly between the cylinders 35 and 36 truing leg 11 when applying the caliper. Legs 11 and 12 have keys 39 and 40 extending outwardly from the outer faces thereof which have cooperation with key-ways ll and 42, respectively formed in the inner faces of the blocks 3'7 and 38. Legs 11 and 12. are provided on their outer faces with scales 43 for registering with the bottom faces of the blocks when the legs 11 and 12 are inserted between the typed plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder with the bevel faces of the blocks 37 and 38 resting on the circumferential faces of the respective cylinders for so adjusting the bearing point of the finger 18 on leg 12 as to cause it to' register with a line drawn through the axes ofthe typed plate cylinder 35 and the blanket cylinder 36. Blocks 3? and 38 are provided in their outer faces with elongated slots 44 and 45 respectively, for the insertion therethrough of set screws 46 and 47 respectively, which screws have-screwthreaded engagement with keys 39 and 40 respectively, for locking the blocks in adjusted posi tion to accommodate the calipers to cylinders of dimensions. Arm 33' terminating in applying the caliper between the printing'press cylinders.

Having thus explained the nature of the inven tion and descr bed anoperative manner of constructing and using the same, although'without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what is claimed is:

1. A caliper comprising a head, two spaced apart legs extending from the head, springs interposed between the le s, a lever pivotally related at its approximate center to one of the legs and contacting with one of its ends with the other of the legs and a shoe carried bythe other of the ends of the lever, the first-named leg having a recess therein and a spring interposed between the second-named leg and the lever for forcing the shoe within the recess.

2. A caliper comprising two spaced apart relatively movable legs, a sleeve interposed between the legs, a spring surrounding the sleeve and exerting outward pressure upon the legs, and a screw passing throughone of the legs and the sleeve and in screw-threaded engagement with the other of the legs.

3. A measuring instrument comprising a head, a recessed leg depending therefrom and rigidly afiixed thereto, a second leg pivotally related to the head and spaced from the rigidly affixed leg, an actuating lever terminating in a shoe at one of its ends and contacting with the pivoted leg at the other of its ends, said leg being pivoted to the afiixed leg and within the recess, and an indicator operating means in alinement with the movement of the shoe.

4. A measuring instrument comprising a head, a

depending leg rigidly afiixed thereto and being recessed intermediate its ends, a second leg pivot-. ally related to the head and in spaced relation to the rigidly affixed leg, an actuating lever having a shoe at one of its ends and a portion pivotally seated in the recess, said aiiixed leg having a sec- 0nd recess-spaced from the. first-named recess and in alinement with the shoe, and a spring intermediate the actuating lever and the pivoted leg for rocking the lever on its pivot.

5. A caliper comprising a head, two normally spaced apart parallel legs extending from the head sleeves carried by one of the legs, one of said'legs being integral with the head, the other cfsaid legs being pivoted thereto and springs interposed between the legs and surrounding the sleeves for exerting outward pressure on the pivoted leg and adjustable limiting means passing through said sleeves and engaging each leg.

6. A-caliper for spacing cylinders of different diameters comprising a head, two spaced apart legs depending from the head, a truing block slidably related to each of the legs and a graduated scale on each of the legs for registering with the blocks.

'7. A caliper for spacing cylinders of diiferent diameters comprising a head, two spaced apart legs depending from the head, one of said legspivotally related to the integral leg, a spring eX- erting pressure on the lever at a point intermediate the pivot and the head, and means for lim' iting the movement of the movable leg. I

EUGENE L. CECIL. JOHN J. CALLAHAN. 

